This book, The Major Sins – in Arabic al-Kaba’ir – is unusual among the works of Imam adh-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, in that rather than being addressed to specialist scholars, it was written for a general readership and covers themes that are relevant to all Muslims both with regard to their religion and their daily lives.

In clear language and with great psychological insight, accompanied by scrupulous adherence to the most authentic sources, it unmasks the true nature of human wrongdoing and unveils the pitfalls that lie in wait for all human beings during the course of their lives in this world. It is a wake-up call for the heedless, an admonishment for the wrongdoer and a sound guide for those who desire to take the right path to what is pleasing to their Lord.

The author of this work, Shamsu’d-din ibn Uthman at-Turkmani, rahmatullahi 'alayhi, commonly known as adh-Dhababi, was born in Damascus in 1274/673. As a student, he traveled widely, studying under many Shaykhs in Syria, Arabia, and Egypt. His memory was legendary and he became a recognised authority in many branches of knowledge but
especially in the hadith sciences and the different readings of the
Qur’an. He was also known as the foremost shaykh of analysis of
character (jarh wa ta‘dil), which has a particular bearing on this work,
dealing as it does with the inner frailties of the human being. He
wrote extensively and voluminously on many subjects, including a
forty-one volume book of general history and a twenty-three volume book
of biographies.

Table of Contens :

---The Author and Kitab al-Kaba'ir,---The Dealy Sins.

---01. Associating anything with Allah, (shirk),---02. Murder,---03. Practicing magic,---04. Not Praying,------When a child should be ordered to pray,------The punishment of the person who does the prayer like a pecking bird,------Greater concern for attending the 'Isha and Fajr prayers,---05. Not paying Zakat,---06. Not fasting on a Day of Ramadan without excuse,---07. Not performing Hajj, while being able to do so,---08. Disrespecting parents,---09. Abandoning relatives,---10. Fornication and Adultery,---11. Homosexuality (sodomy),------The punishment of sodomites,------Anal intercourse with a woman is part of sodomy,---12. Interest (Riba, Usury),---13. Wrongfully consuming the property of an orphan,---14. Lying about Allah Almighty and His Messenger, salla Allahu alayhi wa Sallam,---15. Running away from the battlefield,---16. A leader deceiving his people and being unjust to them,---17. Pride and arrogance,---18. Bearing false witness,---19. Drinking Khamr (wine),------Traditions from the Salaf about wine,------Section on hashish (drugs),---20. Gambling,---21. Slandering chaste women,---22. Stealing from the spoils of war,---23. Stealing,---24. Highway Robbery,---25. Deliberate false oaths,---26. Oppression,------Being cautious about visiting the perpetrators of injustice,---27. Illegal gain,---28. Consuming wealth acquired unlawfully,---29. Committing suicide,---30. Frequent lying,---31. Judging unjustly,---32. Giving and Accepting bribes,---33. Women imitating men and men imitating women,---34. Being cuckold,---35. Marrying a divorced woman in order to make her lawful for the husband,---36. Not protecting oneself from urine,---37. Showing-off,---38. Learning knowledge of the religion for the sake of this world & concealing that knowledge,---39. Bertrayal of trust,---40. Recounting favours,---41. Denying Allah's Decree,---42. Listening (to) people's private conversations,---43. Carrying tales,---44. Cursing,------On the permissibility of cursing those who disobey Allah Almighty,---45. Breaking contracts,---46. Believing in fortune-tellers and astrologers,---47. A woman's bad conduct towards her husband,---48. Making statues and pictures,---49. Lamenting, wailing, tearing the clothing, and doing other things of this sort when an affliction befalls,------Consoling,---50. Treating others unjustly,---51. Overbearing conduct toward the wife, the servant, the weak, and animals,---52. Offending one's neighbour,---53. Offending and abusing other Muslims,------Cautioning against inciting fights between believers and between animals of any kind,------Encouraging reconciliation between people,---54. Offending people and having an arrogant attitude toward them,---55. Trailing one's garment in pride,---56. Men wearing silk and gold,---57. A slave's running away from his master,---58. Slaughtering an animal which has been dedicated to anyone other than Allah,---59. To knowingly ascribe one's paternity to a father other than one's own,---60. Arguing and disputing violently,---61. Witholding excess water,---62. Giving short weight or measure,---63. Feeling secure from Allah's Plan,---64. Despairing of the Mercy of Allah, and losing Hope,---65. Not praying in congregation but praying alone without an excuse,---66. Persistently missing Friday (Jum'ah) & other group prayers without a valid excuse,---67. Unsurping the rights of the heir through bequests,---68. Deceiving and plotting evil,---69. Spying for the enemy of the Muslims,---70. Cursing or Insulting any of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, of Allah's Beloved Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.